New York City Office

Rye Office

TMJ

TMJ Pain & Dysfunction

According to the TMJ Association, around 35 million people in the United States (12% of the population) are affected by TMJ disorders. Dr. Joseph K. Askinasi is a respected TMJ specialist serving the areas of Manhattan and Rye NY, and he's worked with hundreds of New Yorkers struggling with this broad condition.

What is TMJ syndrome? Causes, Signs & Symptoms

TMJ stands for temporomandibular joint; it's the point of connection between your jaw bone and your skull (near your ears). Normally, this hinge joint opens and closes without issue thousands of times per day. When a person has TMJ dysfunction, however, normal arthrokinematics become impaired, leading to uncomfortable signs and symptoms such as:

Jaw pain and tenderness

The sensation and/or sound of popping, cracking, and clicking in the joint

The feeling that the jaw is out of place or going to dislocate

Difficulty with opening and/or closing the mouth

Pain in one or both ears

Tooth or teeth pain

Why does this happen? Direct trauma, such as a blow to the face can disrupt TMJ integrity. Sometimes, wear and tear of the joint space, protective joint disc, and cartilage can lead to joint malocclusion and misalignment. Another common cause is chronic poor posture, especially among people with a forward head and upper back slouching, as this can put abnormal pressure on the TMJ.

Interestingly, many other chronic health conditions such as fibromyalgia, whiplash, migraine headaches, low back pain, and irritable bowel syndrome often present with jaw pain.

How our TMJ Chiropractor Improves TMJ Function for his Patients

Because we offer services at our facility promoting full body wellness, our TMJ chiropractor can help you improve or even resolve your jaw dysfunction by relieving your symptoms and by addressing areas of your body "down the chain" which may be contributing to your TMJ problems. Such services may include:

Kinesiology and posture analysis, to identify areas of musculoskeletal imbalances which may be contributing to your TMJ dysfunction